How to take the perfect headshot to brand yourself better

Why should I get a headshot?

Regardless of the diversity, uniqueness and niche of your profession, business or enterprise, you need to promote, market and sell yourself. And in order to do all three of these effectively, you need an admirable, presentable, and simply, a great headshot.

Indeed, your most flattering and attractive photo can be used as a powerful tool to make a good impression and make sure people do not forget you easily. Indeed, faces always linger in our minds, and adding a headshot to your online website, blog or profile encourages your customers or clients to connect, identify and warm towards you.

Which professions essentially require a great headshot?

As long as you aim to garnering attention, engaging in effective publicity and promotion, and want to manage a presentable, appealing and impressive professional and public profile, an attractive headshot will make sure to install your image in the minds of your consumers. Indeed, your picture would reach out to your clients and encourage them to trust you with their needs.

Some businesses who could largely profit with the addition of a headshot include:

Quite frankly, the aim of placing a headshot is to provide your clients your best, and most flattering self, and hence, your headshot must be your best picture!

Above all, your headshot must be professional, dignified and simplistic, showing you adorning an elegant and graceful, business attire. It is advisable that you hire the services of a talented and expert headshot photographer who can make sure to get the perfectly soft lighting, the sharp focus and genius composition required to get the perfect image for the head shot. Also, the photographer will have to perform certain colour correction and slight retouching tricks to make your headshot all the more appealing and attractive.

It is crucial that you make sure the photographer you hire does not only have advanced equipment, technology and expertise, but also has the ability to perform certain magical colour and image enhancements that can work wonders on your headshot. It is advisable that you pick your photographer after nicely going through their headshot portfolios.

Secondly, it is important that you appear completely natural, sincere and at ease in the picture, otherwise, it will play down and negatively impact on the intended goal of the headshot. Clients and consumers are apt at detecting fake and unnatural headshots within the very first glance, and if your pose, lighting or expression looks unnatural or insincere, they will not be impressed.

In order to look completely natural, comfortable and at ease, you need to be yourself. And in order to freely be yourself, you need to comfortable around the photographer, his equipment, and get over your camera shyness by engaging yourself in the whole exciting appeal of getting yourself photographed. It will be fun if you develop a good rapture with your photographer, talk to him about how you feel about being photographed and expressing your fears regarding the outcomes of the images would be a great help. Make sure the environment in the studio or your chosen location is relaxed and allows you to be natural, relaxed and appealing.

Also, another important aspect is that your headshot needs to provide your clients a glimpse into your personality. Therefore, the need for an expert and professional headshot photographer can simply not be undermined, as only an expert can play around with the camera, make sure he gets the best shot to bring your personality into the light effectively.

Even once the image has been taken, your part doesn’t end. It is now time for the photographer to work his magic, and you need to make sure he does his job well. Perfecting and retouching an image is indeed an art that few have mastered, and therefore it is important that your headshot has been professionally processed and retouched to provide a remarkable natural effect.

It is essential and important that you discuss all your needs, requirements, along with your fears and apprehensions with your photographer beforehand, to make sure you get the best results. You and your headshot photographer can indulge in the spirit of a personal shoot, and you can try different looks, from a sharp intelligent look to a warm sensual appeal, until you get the best image for your headshot!

What are the preparations that you need to make you all set to click the perfect headshot?

Needless to say, you need to look and feel your best, and most presentable self. Obviously, this would include making sure your makeup is perfect, your skin unblemished, your hair nicely styled and perfectly in place, while your clothing should be impeccably stylish yet extremely dignified. It is advisable not to experiment with new skin products or hair products just days before your shoot, who knows they might have a reverse effect?

If hair and makeup has never been your forte, it will be a great idea to hire the services of a professional hair stylist and make-up artist. Since this headshot is an obvious investment, it is essential that you spend generously to make sure it serves its purpose effectively, and a good picture without being flawlessly made-up just isn’t happening, now is it?

It is advisable that you keep your dressing business-like, professional and simple, and make sure you avoid patterns, white or another design that may end up diverting attention from your face. Remember, your headshot will only show your face and upper body, hence, your dressing must be accentuated and appealing from your shoulders and your neckline.

It will be a great idea to get plenty of sleep to make sure you wake of fresh and pleasant for you shoot. Also, if you eat light, you can avoid feeling bloated or starved during your shoot.

How often must the headshot be updated?

Appearances, styles, and fashion are all subjected to time, and they tend to change immensely. Therefore, it is important that your headshot shows your current best life. You may have grown up to look more attractive and mature, you may have lost weight or gained a few pounds, or you could have changed your hairstyle and hair colour. In the instance you have made any changes to you attire, personality and dressing, updating your headshot will be a great idea.

Even if nothing has substantially changed with your appearance, updating your headshot is still an amazing idea. It will make your website fresh, trendy and new, and since fashion, clothing, and hair styles are always evolving and changing, it’s nice to provide variety and change.